SURELY GOD HEARS

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Psalm 99:8-9  NKJV

You answered them, O Lord our God;
You were to them God-Who-Forgives,
Though You took vengeance on their deeds.
⁹ Exalt the Lord our God,
And worship at His holy hill;
For the Lord our God is holy.

In the worship of God there are three considerations to be examined.  Primary is the one who is worshiped.  In this Psalm, which should be understood as definitive for worship, our God who is holy is the object.  Then there is the worship rendered.  Worship is to the sovereign.  It is a fearful or awesome experience.  The person worshiped deserves and receives the praise that is presented.  His character of justice establishes the nature of the worship He receives.  This equity, justice, and righteousness are praised as guarantees of omnipotent love.

The third consideration is the worshiper.  Worship has a history.  Great saints of old have been in this holy fellowship.  They experienced His faithfulness.  They called and out of His place of Holiness He answered.  It is well to remember I John 5:14-15 ¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.  This is the confidence of those who come, they will be heard and He will answer.  Psalm 99:8 You answered them, O Lord our God.

At this point we find the essence of the relationship that is basic to the worshiper.  The “God-Who-Forgives is the One whom we are to meet.  The writer states “You were to them”.  The “I Am” answered their call.  At their best, these greats in faith were forgiven.  This too is “at His footstool”.

But this is no exemption from accountability.  “Deeds” encompass the whole of what we are before the “God-Who-Forgives”.  The Scriptures are replete with illustrations of this principle.  Surely the Psalmist is pointing us to Moses and Aaron and the sharp rod of reproof which they received.  But there is another, David who even more reminds of the vengeance of God on His own.

So it was with David (2Sa 12:10-14.): though he pardoned him as to the guilt of eternal death, saved his soul, and spared his life, which was forfeited to divine justice for the murder of Uriah; yet the prophet announced that sharp afflictions must come on him, the sword must never "depart front his house, "and the child begotten in adultery must die, and his wives must be given to his neighbours.  Treasury of David, Vol. IV, C.H. Spurgeon, pg. 395.

In true worship these, God who is worshiped, ‘comely Biblical Worship’, and the worshiped with the privilege of a full experience come together.  To this is added an unqualified exhortation.

Psalm 99:9

Exalt the Lord our God,            
And worship at His holy hill;
For the Lord our God is holy.

Finis.